Elliott leads three in double figures as Broncbusters take down Saints

Liberal, KS-On opening night in Roswell, NM, David Elliott gave you a glimpse of the player that averaged 34 points per game in high school and who once scored 47 in a playoff game. Since then though, Elliott has been mostly inconsistent. That was until Wednesday night when the transfer from Loyola Marymount put together his most complete game of the season. 

Elliott poured in 20 points in a season-high 35 minutes off the bench, Buru Naivalurua posted 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, and Garden City crushed Seward County, 87-71 at the Green House. The Broncbusters improved to 8-3 overall and 3-3 in conference play. 

"David has put together a string of really good games," Head Coach, Rusty Elmore said afterwards. "He's figuring some things out." 

Elliott's performance was well timed considering DaJion Humphrey, who had been brilliant through the first 10 games, finally had an off night, finishing 1-of-12 from the field in 31 minutes.  

"Shots won't always fall," Elmore added. "But it's nice for others to pick it up."

After Seward raced out to a 7-0 advantage, Garden City countered with 12 straight points. Larry Olayinka hit back-to-back buckets; then floated a beautiful lob to Naivalurua for a two-handed dunk, Humphrey canned his only 3-pointer of the game, and the Broncbusters were up 12-7.  

"We were a little flat to start the game, but once we made that early run, our energy completely changed," Elmore said.  

With the game tied at 23, the Broncbusters hit the Saints with another 12-0 blitz. Elliott grabbed Jaborri McGhee's missed layup and stuck it back home, Logan Feltman knocked down a perimeter shot, and Elliott completed a four-point play when he swished a triple from the left wing over Blessin Kimble, giving the road team a 35-23 lead. That was all part of a bigger 16-1 run that was polished off by a Naivalurua dunk and layup that stretched the advantage to 15. 

"We played with more pace tonight," Elmore said. "It wasn't perfect, but it was a much better effort."

Garden City was up nine at the break; then used a 9-0 surge midway through the second half to push the lead to 18 once Elliott drilled another 3. Moments later, McGhee whipped a pocket pass to Olayinka, who banked home a two-footer, which was followed by a rim-rattling jam by the freshman post from Los Angeles, and the Broncbusters were up by 20. They led by as many as 24 once Naivalurua swished two freebies to make it 82-58 with 2:42 remaining.  

Elliott was 7-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from downtown and had four assists for Garden City, which totaled 21 dimes on 30 made baskets. Naivalurua was 7-of-10 shooting, and Olayinka tallied 18 points and 10 rebounds. 

Jaylin Henderson paced the Saints with 23 points but was just 7-of-20 from the field and 5-of-14 from deep.